Proc-N-Roll : Your guide to practical procurement!

About Proc-N-Roll : Your guide to practical procurement!

Welcome to Proc n Roll, where nearly 70 years of combined procurement expertise come together. Join Natasha, the PRO CPO with experience at IBM, McKesson, Salesforce, and Nike; Zach, the procurement guru from London; and Conrad, the visionary innovator behind transformational procurement at Intel and Adobe. We dive into the latest trends shaping the procurement landscape while breaking down the essential building blocks for success. Whether you’re new to procurement or a seasoned expert, our discussions will inspire you and keep you grounded in real-world value.

Publisher

Graphite Connect and Candor Procurement

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Dec 2024

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

78 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   AI-Native vs. AI-Washed: Don't Get Fooled by Fake Tech

   Conrad and Zach dive into the hype and reality of AI in procurement tech directly from DPW Amsterdam. They tackle the industry's biggest question: is the new tech genuinely "AI-native," or is it just marketing spin? They break down what it actually means to build around a probabilistic core, why traditional dashboards are dying, and how natural language interfaces will fundamentally change how we interact with ERPs like SAP. Timestamps: (00:00) - Cold Open: AI architecture and natural language (01:07) - DPW Amsterdam recap and the blend of tech and entertainment (07:22) - What does "AI-Native" actually mean? (15:37) - The problem with isolated AI use cases and the need for an operating model (17:19) - Conrad’s "vibe coding" surf app project (22:22) - Why vibe-coding enterprise apps can cause security hacks (26:31) - When to let AI make decisions vs. strictly internal tools (30:23) - Natural language is the new procurement interface (40:47) - AI governance: The danger of everyone being a builder (49:52) - Will AI replace jobs in procurement and sales? (56:53) - Final Takeaways: Start experimenting with AI before buying the tech About Proc and Roll: Proc and Roll is your guide to practical procurement, hosted by Conrad, Zach, and Natasha. The podcast tackles industry trends, technological transformations like AI, and practical advice for CPOs and procurement professionals. Don't forget to like, comment, and share!

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Fixing the Contract Bottleneck

   Why is the procurement cycle always so slow, and why are stakeholders constantly complaining? In this week's Proc and Roll, Conrad, Zach, and Natasha tackle the biggest bottleneck in the industry: the contract and risk process. The hosts break down why forcing an ironclad contract for every single purchase is a massive waste of time, and how redundant approval cycles turn necessary compliance into useless "risk theater". If you want to stop frustrating your stakeholders and start actually mitigating risk, you have to follow the money, stop over-contracting, and rebuild your relationship with Legal. Timestamps: (00:00) - Cold Open: Contracts rarely leave the file cabinet (00:58) - Intro: The cycle time bottleneck (02:52) - Quick wins: NDAs, templates, and tracking changes (06:27) - Keep it simple: Stop designing 8-document processes (08:30) - "Follow the money" and stop unnecessary contracts (13:11) - Building a progressive partnership with Legal (15:22) - Empowering requesters vs. risk-averse clicking (20:31) - Natasha's pushback: Stakeholders aren't always risk-averse (23:06) - The redundant approval trap (24:13) - The invisible hand: Designing process for stakeholder interest (26:22) - Why the best process won't stop a bad actor (30:13) - TPRM maturity and the reality of "Risk Theater" (34:02) - Supplier integrity is saving your enterprise (37:35) - Final Takeaways: Playbooks, AI, and Legal relationships About Proc and Roll: Proc and Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Hosted by industry veterans, we cut through the corporate jargon to tackle the real, everyday challenges of enterprise procurement, supply chain risk, and contract negotiations. Whether you are navigating AI-native tech stacks or figuring out how to stop your stakeholders from bypassing your process, we bring you the actionable insights you need to become a genuine business partner. Don't forget to like, comment, and share!

3. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Mastering Career Pivots and Emotional Intelligence with Adam Lancaster

   What does it actually take to rocket-ship your career, build unshakable leadership skills, and completely transform your mindset? In this week's Proc and Roll, Conrad sits down with his former Adobe colleague, Adam Lancaster. Adam shares his wild journey from surviving a mountain lion attack to navigating the high-pressure environments of Intel and Adobe, and eventually becoming the number two real estate agent in North America. This episode goes far beyond traditional procurement advice. Adam breaks down the exact three traits he looks for when hiring rock stars—Emotional Intelligence (EQ), data analytics, and critical thinking—and explains why raw transparency is the true foundation of leadership. Finally, he reveals the "wildly uncomfortable" daily affirmation practice that completely rewired his behavior and drove his massive career success. Timestamps: (01:05) - Welcome Adam Lancaster to the Studio (01:52) - The Mountain Lion Survival Story (06:37) - From Real Estate to Procurement: Charting a Career Path (16:19) - "In God We Trust, All Others Bring Data" (22:17) - The 3 Traits to Hire For: EQ, Analytics, and Critical Thinking (26:08) - What Leadership Actually Means: Raw Transparency (29:27) - Balancing Relationship Building with Hard Results (40:19) - The Core Difference Between Management and Leadership (45:18) - "Become Worthy of the Fee" (50:48) - The 5 Uncomfortable Morning Affirmations That Drive Success Mentioned in this Episode: The Mountain Lion Encounter: Adam’s wild survival story was actually immortalized on canvas! The painting, titled "Out of Nowhere" by Western artist Clark Kelley Price, depicts the exact moment Adam took aim from the horses while his father, Kellen, defended himself on the ground. (https://clarkkelleyprice.com/products/out-of-nowhere?utm_source=gemini&hl=en-US) Adam’s A Cappella Days: We teased it at the end of the episode, and yes, the footage is real. Watch Adam singing "I'm a Believer" with his college a cappella group here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wGNNfonSEI About Proc and Roll: Proc and Roll is your guide to practical procurement. Hosted by industry veterans, we roll up our sleeves to tackle the real, unglamorous challenges of enterprise procurement, leadership, and career growth. Tune in for candid conversations, actionable frameworks, and unfiltered advice on how to build a world-class career and drive real business value.

Who has been a guest on Proc-N-Roll : Your guide to practical procurement!

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Bart Reekmans
• Sanjay Srivastava
• Ajay Khosla
• Joël Collin-Demers
• Limor David-Sternfeld

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

74

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Proc-N-Roll : Your guide to practical procurement!

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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